Human skull discovered near Sycamore Valley - Investigation ongoing

Tuesday

Jul 18, 2017 at 8:45 AM

On Monday investigators continued to actively search the area along with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol assisting with flyover searches to look for additional clues to lead investigators to the rest of the human remains.

Melinda Stotts | mstotts@miaminewsrecord.com

WYANDOTTE – Ottawa County Sheriff Jeremy Floyd confirmed a human skull was found Friday morning in the Sycamore Valley area outside of Wyandotte in Ottawa County.

The address of the location is not being released due to the ongoing investigation, but sources that wish to remain unnamed say the skull was found along the drive of a residence and discovered by someone visiting there.

“The Sheriff's Office investigators and myself arrived to find what appeared to be a human skull,” Floyd said in a press release. “The ME's (Medical Examiners) Office was called, and they responded and recovered the skull as evidence and confirmed the skull to be human.”

Floyd said an additional bone located in proximity to the human skull was identified as cow bone.

Additional searches were conducted throughout the area for human remains that day and were ongoing throughout the weekend, according to Floyd.

“An additional human bone was located, what appeared to be a hip bone but not confirmed, on Sunday,” Floyd said.

On Monday investigators continued to actively search the area along with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol assisting with flyover searches to look for additional clues to lead investigators to the rest of the human remains.

“Cadaver dogs, search teams, and ATVs are being brought in Tuesday morning, the earliest we could obtain this service, to assist in combing the area in hopes to conclude our investigation,” Floyd said.

Floyd answered questions in his press release regarding a man reported missing on June 30.

Clifford Eli Moss has been missing since June 30 at 2 p.m. He was last seen walking south of the Wyandotte area of Sycamore Bridge. He was wearing red gym shorts, no shirt, and sandals. He is 5 feet 4 inches, 190 pounds, brown hair and eyes, and has a tattoo of a bird on his right forearm, according to Moss's cousin Cyndie Whitetree.

“There has been rumor and speculation that the remains found belong to the missing male adult subject identified as Eli Moss. Mr. Moss was reported missing on June 30, 2017. At this time we cannot confirm nor repudiate this claim until the Medical Examiner's Office concludes their identification process through DNA, medical and dental records. Etc.," Floyd stated in the press release. "The Sheriff's Office is not assuming the human remains do in fact belong to Mr. Eli Moss and his disappearance is still ongoing and being actively investigated.”